TikTok expands parental controls to boost teen safety

Popular social media platform, TikTok announced major updates to its Family Pairing tool on Sunday, granting parents enhanced oversight and teens tools to foster healthier digital habits. The expanded features, part of TikTok’s safety push, include customizable screen-time limits, visibility into teens’ connections, and proactive reporting alerts.  

Parents can now schedule “Time Away” periods (e.g., school hours, bedtime), view their teen’s followers and blocked accounts, and receive alerts when teens report harmful content—even without Family Pairing enabled. For users under 16, a new “Wind-Down” feature will interrupt late-night scrolling with calming music and reminders; tests show most teens opt to keep these alerts active. TikTok also plans to trial meditation exercises to improve sleep quality.  

The platform is collaborating with global partners such as Telefónica to strengthen age verification and joined the Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Age Assurance to shape industry standards. Additionally, TikTok’s Global Youth Council, which informs safety policies, will expand in 2025 after a successful first year.  

“These updates empower families to nurture responsible digital habits while ensuring a safer, positive space for young creators,” a TikTok spokesperson said. The enhancements reflect TikTok’s broader effort to balance creativity with well-being, leveraging tech like machine learning to enforce age restrictions and tailor age-appropriate experiences. 
 
As of August 2023, Sri Lanka had approximately 1.5 million TikTok users, accounting for about 7 percent of the country's population. However, as of early 2025, TikTok's advertising resources reported approximately 5.79 million users aged 18 and above in Sri Lanka, accounting for about 33.9 percent of the adult population. Given the platform's popularity among younger demographics globally, it's reasonable to assume that a notable number of TikTok users in Sri Lanka are below 18 years of age. However, without explicit data, the exact number of under-18 users remains uncertain.